Reprint  from  THE  ED  VC  AVION  A L BI-MONTHLY,  December  m2 


Library  Conditions  in  American  Cities* 


HE  report  that  I ^hall  briefly  present  on  library  conditions 


^ in  other  American  cities,  is  a compilation  of  the  work  of 
others.  I compiled  my  report  from  three  tabulations,  one  of 
which  was  made  by  each  of  the  members  of  the  committee, 
and  they  in  turn  secured  their  information  from  many  gener- 
ous librarians  throughout  the  country. 

Mrs.  Dracass,  feeling  that  we  had  not  reached  the  ne  plus 
ultra  in  library  facilities  in  our  Chicago  high  schools,  studied 
attentively  library  conditions  on  the  Pacific  Coast  during  her 
trip  there  in  July  and  August,  1911.  A report  of  this  trip  ap- 
peared in  the  Cook  County  School  News,  January,  1912.  Piet 
notes  concern  conditions  in  San  Francisco,  Los  Angeles,  and 
Sacramento,  California;  Salem  and  Portland,  Oregon;  Seat- 
tle, Spokane,  and  Tacoma,  Washington.  Returning,  she  stud- 
ied the  work  in  Duluth,  Minneapolis,  and  St.  Paul,  Minnesota*; 
and  Superior,  Wisconsin. 

No  doubt  her  Caesarean  method  of  going,  seeing,  and  get- 
ting the  information  she  wanted  was  the  better,  but  Mrs.  Dra- 
cass was  not  able  to  visit  all  sections  of  the  United  States,  so 
decided  to  reach  the  others  by  means  of  a questionnaire.  The 
first  of  these  were  mailed  in  November,  1911. 

The  questionnaire  contained  some  thirty  questions,  some 
of  which  were  to  be  answered  in  two  or  three  parts.  Such  a 
blank  has  the  merit  of  preventing  rambling  answers,  and  lends 
itself  readily  to  tabulation,  although,  of  course,  questions  may 
be  unanswered  if  not  applicable  to  local  conditions. 

These  questions  when  answered,  were  intended  to  give  in 
concise  form  (1)  the  name  of  the  library,  (2)  its  geographical 
location,  the  population  of  the  city,  (3)  the  number  of  students 
and  teachers  in  the  school,  (4)  the  seating  capacity  of  the  ref- 
erence room,  (5)  the  number  of  volumes  in  the  library,  (6) 
the  average  daily  circulation  of  books,  (7)  the  number  of 
periodicals  received  regularly,  (8)  whether  the  books  in  the 

* The  second  of  three  papers  read  before  the  English  section  of 
the  Chicago  High  and  Normal  School  Association,  May  11,  1912. 


school  were  all  gathered  together  into  one  main;  library,  and 
(9)  the  extent  to  which  bulletins  and  bibliographies  were  made 
and  used. 

Inquiry  was  further  made  (10)  as  to  how  the  library  was. 
administered,  i,e.,  whether  by  a regular  librarian,  teacher- 
Eibrarianv  or  clerk,  and  (11)  as-  to  the  provision  for  salary  of 
teacher-librarian  or  clerk,  (12)  the  assignment  of  the  work  of 
cataloguing,  book-repairing,  and  (13)  such  duties  as  class  work 
and  required  hours  of  library  attendance. 

The  first  group  of  the  questions,  as  you  will  at  once  ob- 
serve, give  us  a glimpse  of  where  we  find  ourselves  and  what 
we  find  actually  being,  done  for  the  pupils.  Having  oriented’ 
ourselves,  we  now  turn  to  inquire  what  provision,  has  been 
made  by  the  administrative  authorities  as  to  eligibility,  duties,, 
and  compensation,  for  the  person  or  persons  doing  the  work  of 
the  library. 

The  next  question  (14),  as  to  the  length  of  time  the  libra- 
ry is  kept  open  before  and  after  school,  was  asked  because 
every  librarian  in  the  Chicago  high  schools  has  found  it  neces- 
sary to  render  such  extra  service.  Attention  was  called  to  this 
fact  as  early  as  December,  1909,  when  Mrs.  Dracass  wrote  to 
Mr.  Vaile  a letter  that  was  later  incorporated  in  her  Library 
Report  read  at  the  English  Club,  April  15,  1911.  The  answers, 
proved  of  interest,  as  the  length  of  time  the  library  is  open 
bears  a very  constant  relation  to  its  effectiveness. 

A question  (15)  as  to  whether  the  services  of  a regular 
librarian  would  be  of  sufficient  value  to  warrant  the  employ- 
ment of  one,  gave  smaller  schools  an  opportunity  to  say  frankly 
that  because  of  their  small  size,  volunteer  help  could  be  honest- 
ly accepted,  and  gave  any  persons  unfriendly  to  the  library 
movement  a chance  to  tell  why.  Our  connection  with  our 
Chicago  Public  Library  can  be  compared  with  the  arrange- 
ments in  other  cities  by  a study  of  the  answers  to  the  next  two 
questions. 

Actual  instruction  in  the  use  of  the  library  (questions  18r 
19,  20,  21)  and  the  extent  to  which  “library  training”  courses 
had  been  established  (questions  22,  23,  24,  25,  26,  27)  were  to 
be  ascertained  by  the  next  large  group  of  questions.  The  in- 
struction in  Library  Economics  which  was  initiated  in  a volun- 
teer class  at  Englewood  four  years  ago  (for  which,  see  Mrs. 


— 2 — 


Dracass’s  paper  in  The  English  Journal,  April,  1912)  was 
recognized  and  given  a place  in  the  course  of  study,  February, 
1912,  by  our  Board  of  Education.  Some  think  this  especially 
valuable  as  a cultural  course,  and  some  think  it  more  valuable 
.from  a vocational  point  of  view.  Another  question  (28)  gave 
;a  chance  to  those  written  to  to  express  an  opinion  on  this,  and 
the  closing  questions  invited  those  originally  written  to  to  send 
tin  the  names  of  others  who  might  be  interested,  and  to  give 
any  additional  information  they  might  have. 

About  230  sets  of  questions  were  sent  out,  and  the  number 
of  replies  received  is  very  gratifying,  especially  to  us  in  Chica- 
go who  see  so  much  of  this  pedagogical  correspondence  reach- 
ing the  waste  basket,  often  unread. 

Some  thirty  of  the  replies  received  were  from  normal 
schools  and  colleges.  The  general  conditions,  courses  of  study 
in  library  training,  and  bibliography  work  suggested  in  them, 
is  of  interest  to  the  student  of  library  science,  and  may  form 
the  basis  of  a later  report;  but  these  things  are  not  exactly 
pertinent  in  this  discussion  of  the  library  as  the  work  room  of 
the  high-school  teacher  and  high-school  pupil.  Accordingly, 
although  the  original  answer  papers  have  been  preserved  and 
already  carefully  tabulated,  they  will  not  be  presented  at  this 
time. 

Fourteen  of  the  answers  received  showed  the  courteous 
interest  of  the  schools  addressed,  but  the  lack  of  facilities 
makes  their  answers  of  no  other  importance. 

You  will  recall  that  no  sets  of  questions  were  sent  to  the 
Pacific  Coast  or  other  places  which  Mrs.  Dracass  visited,  as  she 
had  already  seen  the  most  important  public  high-school  libra- 
ries there.  Several  of  the  Southern  states  were  not  written  to, 
but  a list  of  the  places  that  sent  valuable  answers  will  show 
the  nation-wide  interest  in  the  question. 

The  sixty-four  sets  of  tabulated  answers  that  have  con- 
tributed to  this  report,  came  from  the  following  states  and 
cities:  (The  numeral  following  the  name  of  a city  indicates 
the  number  of  schools  heard  from.)  Arizona,  Phoenix;  Col- 
orado, Denver  and  Pueblo;  Illinois,  Decatur,  Joliet,  Paxton, 
Springfield,  Tuscola,  and  Waukegan;  Indiana,  Indianapolis 
(2)  South  Bend,  and  Terre  Haute;  Iowa,  Burlington,  Cedar 
Rapids,  Des  Moines,  Dubuque,  and  Fort  Dodge ; Kansas,  Em- 


— 3 — 


poria,  Kansas  City,  and  Leavenworth ; Kentucky,  Louisville  : . 
Maryland,  Baltimore;  Massachusetts,  Springfield  (2)  ; Michi- 
gan, Detroit  (3),  Grand  Rapids  (2),  and  Jackson;  Missouri,, 
Pittsburg,  St.  Louis (3),  and  Springfield;  Montana,  Butter 
Nebraska,  Hastings;  New  Jersey,  Passaic,  and  Newark;  New 
York, , Brooklyn  (8),  New  York  City,. Rochester  (2),  and  Syr- 
acuse;; Ohio,  Cleveland,  Columbus,  and  Toledo;  Oklahoma,. 
Oklahoma  City;  Pennsylvania,  Reading  (2);.  South  Dakota,. 
Sioux  Falls;  Texas,  Galveston  and  Huntsville;  Utah,  Salt 
Lake  City;,  Wisconsin,  Milwaukee;  and  District  of  Columbia,. 
Washington. 

Now,  many  people  are  suspicious  of  statistics,  but  it  may 
be  suspected  that  they  do  not  like  the  work  of  making  them  out 
or  even  of  thinking  of  them.  But  certain  facts  which  we  wish 
to  emphasize  appear  better  in  statistical  form.  Accordingly,  I 
shall  inform  you  that,  taking  all  but  one  set  of  the  figures  pre- 
sented, we  find  that  in  high  schools  replying,  the  averages  were  t 


Number  of  pupils. .1,051 

Number  of  teachers....- 43 

Seating  capacity  of  reference  room 67 

Number  of  volumes  contained  in  school  library.  .4,186 

Average  daily  circulation  of  books. ....... 103 

Average  number  of  periodicals  received. ......  18 


For  purposes  of  comparison  let  us  reflect  that  according, 
to  the  Directory  of  the  Public  Schools  of  the  City  of  Chicago, 
1911-1912,  in  our  twenty-one  high  schools  the  average  number 
of  pupils  is  907  6/7,  and  the  average  number  of  teachers  is 
30  3/7.  The  library  conditions  here  are  known  to  you  in  the 
schools  where  you  have  served,  and  have  been  brought  to  your 
attention  in  other  schools  by  Mr.  Tanner’s  paper,  which  you 
have  just  heard. 

In  making  out  these  averages,  the  City  of  Columbus,  Ohio, 
(population  182,000)  has  not  been  included  because  there  the 
Public  Library  administers  the  Public  School  Library.  They 
have  80,106  volumes  and  cater  to  25,207  pupils  and  781  teach- 
ers. The  average  daily  circulation  is  1,064,  and  they  take  24 
periodicals.  The  work  is  administered  through  37  branch 
libraries,  but  enviable  as  their  condition  seems,  they  apologize 
for  not  doing  bulletin  and  bibliography  work  because  of  lack  of 
funds. 


— 4 — 


In  Newark  and  Passaic,  New  Jersey,  by  arrangement  with 
the  Board  of  Education,  the  high-school  libraries  are  branches 
of  the  Public  Library.  In  Newark  the  librarian  is  appointed 
:and  paid  by  the  board ; in  Passaic  the  librarian’s  salary  is  paid 
jointly  by  the  Board  of  Education  and  Public  Library.  Under 
;a  similar  arrangement  in  Madison,  Wisconsin,  the  salary  of  the 
librarian  is  paid  by  the  Public  Library.  The  Manual  for  the 
practical  use  of  books  and  a library,  compiled  by  Gilbert  W ard, 
makes  conditions  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  familiar  to  us.  In 
Cleveland  the  high-school  libraries  are  all  branches  of  the  Pub- 
lic Library,  and  although  each  of  the  six  is  in  charge  of  a li- 
brarian, they  are  all  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Ward,  who 
is  supervisor  of  high-school  libraries  as  well  as  librarian  of  the 
Polytechnic  High  School.  A similar  arrangement  exists  in 
Portland,  Oregon,  where  at  the  beginning,  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation appropriated  $10,000  a year  for  two  years  for  books. 
Pittsburg  is  the  home  of  the  admirable  Carnegie  Library.  The 
high  schools  of  that  city  have  sent  no  information. 

Twenty-seven  of  the  schools  have  all  the  books  in  one 
main  library;  thirty-four  have  many  books  distributed  among 
the  classrooms,  especially  to  science  teachers.  Two  did  not 
answer. 

Thirty-four  are  administered  by  regular  librarians,  twen- 
ty by  teacher-librarians;  three  (Reading,  Pennsylvania,  Boy’s 
High  School  Library,  Waukegan,  Illinois,  and  Emporia,  Kan- 
sas) are  taken  care  of  by  a clerk ; one  employs  a librarian,  an 
assistant  librarian,  and  a clerk;  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts, 
the  school  secretary  is  in  charge,  and  in  Kansas  City,  Kansas, 
the  study-hall  director  does  the  work. 

The  use  made  of  bulletins  and  bibliographies  is  varied  and 
interesting.  Tuscola,  Illinois,  a little  school  of  110,  reports 
“frequent  use”.  (It  is  of  interest  to  know  that  the  principal 
or  assistant  is  in  charge  of  the  200  books.)  In  Cedar  Rapids, 
Iowa,  they  make  occasional  bibliographies ; in  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
they  make  them  upon  request  of  teachers ; in  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land, bulletins  for  the  birthdays  and  anniversaries  celebrated 
are  made  out,  and  reading  matter  in  connection  with  current 
events  is  posted  daily.  Detroit  Eastern  High  School  makes 
out  bulletins  of  current  events.  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan, 
makes  bibliographies  to  assist  in  English  and  History.  Roches- 


— 5 — 


fer  East  High  School  makes  bibliographies  for  civics  and'  de- 
bating. The  Toledo  Central  High  School  (with  1869  stu- 
dents) has  a dictionary  catalog.  Others  answer  that  they  do 
this  work  occasionally  or  “some”,,  while  still  others  report  little 
or  no  work  of  this  kind. 

Seventeen  librarians  are  paid  on  the  teachers'  schedule,, 
notably  in  Albany  and  Rochester,  New  York,  and  in  Joliet  Illi- 
nois, and  there  is  very  little  difference  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
and  Newark,  New  Jersey.  Everywhere  college  graduates  having 
either  library  training  or  library  experience,  are  preferred  for 
these  positions.  The  answers  show  a peculiar  reticence  as  to- 
the  matter  of  salary.  One  correspondent  writes,  “I  don’t 
know  what  the  librarian  here  gets.  No  one  knows  what  any 
salary  is  except  the  one  who  gets  the  check.  Our  librarian  is 
advisory.  I am  the  assistant.  I do  the  work.” 

The  annual  appropriation  for  books  and  periodicals,  where 
any  regular  provision  is  made,  varies  from  $200  a year  in 
Detroit,  Michigan,  to  $1,000  a year  in  Albany,  New  York,  and 
in  Los  Angeles  “$1,500,  occasionally,  when  needed”,  and 
“$600  to  $2,000,  according  to  need”.  In  Madison,  Wisconsin, 
the  initial  appropriation  by  the  Public  Library  of  $1,500  is 
not  likely  to  be  continued. 

The  work  of  cataloging,  repairing,  class  duties,  and  hours 
of  library  attendance  vary.  In  most  instances,  the  librarian 
catalogs.  In  few  places  where  the  library  is  an  important 
factor  are  the  other  duties  left  to  the  librarian.  Either  funds 
are  provided  for  the  repair  of  books  at  a bindery,  or  assistants 
do  this  work.  This  aid  sometimes  comes  from  the  drawing 
teacher,  sometimes  from  pupils. 

The  length  of  time  that  the  library  is  open  before  and  after 
school,  is  of  interest  to  us — practical  Chicagoans — who  have 
seen  business  men  so  eager  to  utilize  to  the  fullest  degree  their 
machinery  that  they  work  three  shifts  of  men  eight  hours  each, 
keeping  the  work  going  twenty-four  hours  daily.  There  are  few 
of  the  libraries  that  are  not  open  before  and  after  school, but  the 
exact  periods  vary  from  ten  minutes  to  two  and  one-half  hours. 
Five  libraries  are  open  one-half  hour  before  and  one-half  hour 
after  the  regular  session;  four  are  open  one-half  hour  before 
and  one  hour  after;  four,  one-half  hour  before  and  one  and 
one-half  hours  after;  two,  one-half  hour  before  and  two  hours 


— 6 — 


alter.  The  others  are  scattering.  But  the  figures  are  encour- 
aging enough  to  lead  to  the  hope  that  we  can  at  no  late  day 
throw  open  the  resources  of  our  school  libraries  to  our  night- 
ischool  pupils  who  are  hook  hungry.  N*ot  only  is  there  a de- 
mand from  foreigners,  but  also  from  many  native-born  Ameri- 
cans who  have  been  attracted  to  our  great  city  from  the  South, 
where  they  have  acquired  the  gentle  courtesy  of  manner  which 
contact  with  people  gives,  but  missed  the  exact  bread-and- 
butter  information  that  should  have  been  given  in  the  little  red 
■schoolhouse.  They  could  use  to  the  greatest  advantage  the  text- 
books so  rapidly  outgrown  by  the  youngsters,  to  whom  we 
must  impart  not  only  the  information  in  the  book,  but  that  ac- 
cording to  the  latest  pedagogical  fashion.  People  who  have 
felt  constraint  in  the  Crerar  Library,  where  they  have  sought 
books  eagerly,  would  feel  that  the  dress  that  is  good  enough 
for  night  school  would  do  in  the  school  library.  They  have 
also  found  the  books  there  too  technical  or  scholarly  for  their 
wants.  The  school  is  the  natural  center  of  the  American  so- 
cial system,  and  what  could  not  the  sympathetic  teacher,  so 
rarely  afflicted  with  the  insolence  of  office,  do  for  these  big 
children  ?* 

The  necessity  for  the  services  of  a regular  librarian  is  al- 
most unanimously  agreed  upon.  Oklahoma  City  ( 1,320  pupils) 
says,  “Yes,  full  work.”  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  Boys’  High 
School  Library  says,  “Yes,  indeed,”  while  the  Girls’  High 
School  of  the  same  city  says,  “We  have  the  work,  but  no 
money,  no  room.”  Most  of  the  schools  whose  membership  is 
over  500  return  a simple  “Yes”. 

Plans  by  which  books  in  the  Public  Library  are  made 
available,  vary.  In  most  places  both  teachers  and  pupils  have 
their  own  individual  cards,  on  which  they  may  draw  like  any 
citizen.  In  many,  large  numbers  of  books  for  reference  pur- 
poses are  lent  to  schools.  The  teacher’s  six-weeks  card  of 
Grand  Rapids  would  be  a boon  to  Chicago  teachers,  who,  with 
their  six-books  cards,  are  constantly  piling  up  fines  doubly 
trebled. 

These  libraries  all  do  much  with  magazines.  The  maga- 
zines are  many  and  well  chosen,  and  touch  the  problems  of 

* Since  this  paper  was  read,  we  have  learned  that  in  Los  Angeles 
the  library  is  thrown  open  to  the  night-school  students. 


— 7 — 


practical  science  and  domestic  art  in  wHich  the  boys  and  girls 
have  always  been  interested,  and  which  the  schools  have  lately 
recognized.  We  are  not  always  pleased  with  the  choice  of 
books  our  young  friends  make,  but  these  libraries  report  that', 
their  pupils  are  interested  in  science,  art,  agriculture,  current 
history,  and  politics.  In  their  public  speaking:  and  debating 
work,  they  find  government  publications  invaluable. 

From  the  Passaic  High  School  comes  this  interesting  re- 
port : “The  selection  of  books  required  great  care  and  judg- 
ment, for  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a ready-made  high-school 
library.  Each  library  must  be  fitted  to  its  high  school  as  care- 
fully as  a-  coat  is  fitted  by  the  tailor  to  the  man  who  is  to  wear 
it.  Each  teacher  was  asked  to  send  in  a list  of  the  books* 
which  he  wished  his  pupils  to  use.  These  books  were  bought 
as  far  as  possible,  as  it  is  of  great  importance  that  the  teachers- 
shall  be  familiar  with  the  books  of  the  library.  Wherever  a 
choice  had  to  be  made  between  two  books  on  one  subject,  both 
equally  good,  the  book  known  to  the  teacher  was  always  pre- 
ferred  Several  valuable  sets  of  reference  books  were 

bought,  and  more  are  being  added  gradually,  although  it  is  the 
policy  of  the  library  to  buy  books  on  special  subjects  rather 
than  large  and  expensive  reference  sets,  which  quickly  go  out 
of  date.  By  watching  the  catalogs  of  second-hand  dealers  for 
several  months,  many  of  the  necessary  reference  sets  may  be 
picked  up  at  a remarkably  low  price.  The  High-School  Li- 
brary opens  fifteen  minutes  before  school  in  the  morning, 
closes  for  one  hour  at  noon,  and  its  work  is  over  forty-five 
minutes  after  the  afternoon  session.  It  has  been  found  neces- 
sary to  restrict  the  number  of  pupils  using  the  library  during 
any  one  period,  so  that  those  having  work  to  do  may  have  the 
first  opportunity  to  get  the  permission-slips  to  enter.  After 
they  are  provided  for,  those  who  wish  to  come  in  for  general 
reading  are  allowed.  The  freedom  which  the  pupils  are  given 
in  their  choice  of  books  can,  perhaps,  be  best  described  by  com- 
paring it  to  the  old  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  predestination  plus 
free-agency.  While  the  pupils  are  perfectly  free  to  read  any- 
thing they  find  in  the  library,  yet  the  care  used  in  selecting  the 
books  has  been  such  that  they  are  of  necessity  predestined  to 
read  something  that  is  worth  while.  For  example,  among  the 
most  popular  books  are  bound  volumes  of  Harper's  Weekly , 


— 8 — 


covering  the  Civil  War  period.  The  pupils  read  these  assidu- 
ously, not  because  they  have  to,  but  because  they  like  them. 
At  the  same  time,  they  are  gaining  a knowledge  of  conditions 
in  America  at  that  time  which  can  be  gotten  in  no  other  way. 

“Perhaps  it  seems that  library  must  be  nearly  a syno- 

nym for  hard  work  and  digging  to  the  pupils  of  the  Passaic 
High  School.  Then,  judging  from  the  numbers  in  which  they 
frequent  the  library,  they  love  hard  work  and  digging.  How- 
ever, anyone  looking  over  the  pupils’  book  records,  which  are 
kept  on  individual  cards,  can  see  that  much  enjoyment  as  well 
as  profit  must  have  been  gained  from  the  books  that  have  been 
read.” 

In  none  of  these  high  schools  has  library  training,  proper- 
ly so  called,  been  recognized  as  an  independent  course  carry- 
ing credit.  Miss  Fagge,  of  Los  Angeles,  had  previously 
trained  volunteers.  After  her  conversation  with  Mrs.  Dra- 
cass,  who  told  of  the  course  at  Englewood,  she  organized  a 
regular  class  for  such  instruction.  The  syllabus  of  the  course 
given  at  Englewood,  outlined  for  two  years  of  two  semesters 
each,  and  the  accompanying  list  of  reference  books  which  were 
mailed  to  every  high  school  in  the  city  in  December,  1911,  have 
received  the  full  endorsement  of  the  committee.* 

But  the  use  of  the  library  is  very  effectively  taught,  and  as 
this  instruction  is  at  once  practicable  and  really  indispensable, 
we  shall  soon  cite  specific  examples  of  how  it  is  being  done. 
Let  us  first  say  that  we  have  found  all  round  progressive  work 
in  the  following  places:  Boys’  High  School,  Erasmus  Hall 
High  School,  and  Manual  Training  High  School,  Brooklyn; 
Bryant  High  School,  Long  Island  City,  New  York;  Morris 
High  School,  New  York  City;  Barringer  High  School,  New- 
ark, New  Jersey;  and  the  High  School  of  Passaic,  New  Jer- 
sey. Much  of  value  has  been  contributed  by  Mr.  Gilbert  O. 
Ward,  Supervisor  of  High  School  Libraries  for  the  Cleveland 
Public  Library  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Good  work  in  the  use  of 
books  is  offered  by  Miss  Hopkins,  of  the  Detroit  Central  High 
School  of  Detroit,  Michigan,  which  is  imitated  in  the  Central 
High  School  of  Washington,  D.  C.  Similar  work  is  offered 

* It  has  come  to  our  attention  that  in  New  York  such  work  is 
done  in  one  of  the  schools,  but  we  have  been  so  far  unable  to  learn 
details. 


9 — 


by  Miss  Fagge  in  the  Polytechnic  High  School  of  Los  Angeles, 
California. 

The  use  of  the  library  is  taught  to  all  first-year  pupils  in 
the  Los  Angeles  high  schools,  to  pupils  in  all  four  years  of  the 
Detroit  Central  High  School,  to  pupils  in  various  classes  in  the 
high  schools  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  both  in  the  school  for 
boys  (1,732  pupils — 70  teachers)  and  the  school  for  girls 
(3,000  girls — 109  teachers).  This  instruction  is  given  either 
by  the  teachers  of  English  or  by  the  librarian,  more  commonly 
by  the  latter.  Three  or  four  sections  of  pupils  of  the  same 
grade,  either  in  English  or  history,  meet  in  some  large  room, 
preferably  the  library.  To  them  is  given  an  outline  of  the 
method  used  in  numbering  the  books  and  the  arrangement  of 
the  library  in  their  own  building,  an  explanation  of  the  card 
catalog,  magazine  indexes,  and  the  general  character  of  the 
reference  books;  such  talks  are  followed  by  library  problems 
in  which  the  pupil  is  required  to  find  for  himself  certain  things 
in  the  library,  using  the  catalog  and  the  dictionary,  and  what- 
ever other  books  have  been  discussed.  In  some  schools,  from 
one  to  three  lessons  are  given  each  year,  in  some  two  at  the  be- 
ginning of  each  semester. 

The  teachers  in  the  high  school  (academic)  at  Los  Angeles, 
as  they  make  the  subject-bibliographies  for  their  classes,  send 
them  in  to  the  librarian,  who,  having  a typewriter  for  the 
special  use  of  the  library,  makes  copies  of  them  so  that  the 
teacher  and  the  library  each  have  one.  Eventually  analytic 
cards  for  these  are  made  and  put  into  a special  tray  labeled 
with  the  name  of  the  study  for  which  it  is  prepared.  In  the 
Polytechnic  High  School,  Los  Angeles,  this  is  carried  one  step 
further:  topics  and  subtopics  are  carefully  indicated  in  the 
outline  prepared,  these  followed  as  in  the  other  outlines  with 
the  name  of  the  author  and  the  book  and  the  page  on  which 
the  material  is  found.  When  the  cards  are  made,  they  contain, 
in  addition  to  the  call  number  of  the  book  at  the  left,  the  num- 
ber of  the  topic  on  which  the  information  is  desired.  The 
cards  are  then  filed  in  the  exact  order  of  the  topics.  The  ad- 
vantage of  this  is  readily  seen.  As  before,  these  cards  are  in 
a special  filing  cabinet.  Markers  bearing  the  main  topic  with 
its  number  are  inserted  in  the  proper  places.  The  best  exam- 
ple I know  of  such  a number  system  is  that  worked  out  for 


io  — 


books  of  philosophy  by  Professor  Mark  Baldwin. 

In  the  Detroit  Central  High  School  the  inexperienced  stu- 
dent is  taught  how  an  index  may  refer  to  different  volumes, 
important  pages,  atlas  references,  magazine  dates,  etc.  Each 
course  requires  but  one  recitation  a term,  two  for  the  school 
year.  It  is  given  in  connection  with  the  English.  English  is 
chosen  for  the  medium  of  library  work  simply  because  all  pu- 
pils are  required  to  take  English.  All  pupils  enrolled  in  Eng- 
lish I reciting  the  first  period,  Monday,  for  example,  are  united 
into  one  section  for  the  Library  talk,  Course  I.  Books  illus- 
trating the  points  to  be  explained  are  transferred  to  the  room, 
and  forty  minutes  given  to  an  attempt  to  make  clear  a few 
principles  of  cataloging,  indexing,  etc.,  in  their  relation  to  ref- 
erence work.  The  class  is  then  given  a set  of  printed  ques- 
tions to  look  up  in  the  library.  It  therefore  becomes  necessary 
for  each  pupil  to  handle  the  books  explained.  These  questions 
are  given  to  the  English  teacher  at  the  next  recitation,  are  gone 
over  in  class,  and  are  credited  as  any  other  recitation  would  be. 
A similar  method  is  followed  in  each  English  course. 

Miss  Frances  M.  Hopkins  says,  “The  plan  has  been  in 
operation  in  our  school  for  eight  years.  Our  experience  has 
proved  it  to  be  simple,  not  at  all  confusing  to  the  regular  work, 
and  fruitful  of  results.”  In  Grand  Rapids,  Brooklyn,  and 
Washington,  D.  C.,  the  librarians  follow  the  outlines  of  Miss 
Hopkins. 

In  Mechanics’  Institute,  Rochester,  New  York,  a special 
lesson  is  given  to  each  of  the  departments  (Fine  Arts, 
Manual  Training,  Domestic  Science,  etc.)  on  the  literature  of 
particular  value  in  that  department. 

Let  us  quote  from  the  Manual  Training  High  School, 
Brooklyn,  New  York:  “This  matter  of  library  instruction  is 
receiving  more  and  more  attention  from  the  high-school  libra- 
rians in  Greater  New  York.  We  have  not  as  yet  any  very 
definite  or  uniform  schedule. ...  (I  meet)  the  first-year  classes 
for  an  hour  each — just  to  tell  them  about  the  arrangement  of 
the  library  and  to  introduce  them  to  the  reference  books  they 
will  find  most  useful.” 

Library  instruction  is  also  given  as  a part  of  the  English 
work  in  Cleveland,  where  the  English  teachers  give  it  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Gilbert  Ward,  librarian  of  the  Technical 


— 11  — 


High  School.  The  librarian  of  the  Central  High  School  Li- 
brary, Cleveland,  says,  “I  have  a lecture  once  a week  on  the 
use  of  the  library,  given  to  freshmen.  I talk  principally  on  the 
encyclopedia  and  dictionary.  I have  fifteen  different  sets  of 
questions ; two  pupils  work  on  each.” 

A specific  instance  of  the  sort  of  work  done  with  ordinary 
books  of  reference  follows:  “To  use  the  dictionary,  look  for 
the  word  first  in  the  main  part  of  the  dictionary.  If  you  do 
not  find  it  there,  consult  the  table  of  contents  at  the  front  of 
the  dictionary  to  see  if  there  is  any  special  list  which  might  in- 
clude the  word.”.  . . . Perhaps  the  boy  or  the  girl  has  found,  like 
the  old  lady,  that  the  dictionary  tells  a very  interesting  story 
save  for  the  frequent  interruptions,  and  will  be  glad  to  learn 
that  there  is  more  to  it  than  a main  part.  “To  back  down, 
Fremont,  Ohio,  Sancho  Panza,  inf.,  abb.,  Deo  gratias,  garage, 
Joan  of  Arc”,  all  these  phrases  will  be  explained,  and  the 
heart  of  youth  rejoices  in  the  words  that  are  slang  of  the  bet- 
ter sort,  and  the  new  words  that  the  new  inventions  compel 
into  the  language.  These  they  will  use  with  zest,  and  when 
they  write  dictionaries  themselves  they  will  put  them  in  the 
main  part. 

The  books  of  reference  with  which  the  freshman  is  sup- 
posed to  familiarize  himself  during  his  first  semester,  include 
dictionaries  (Standard,  Webster’s  International,  and  Century), 
cyclopedias  (New  International,  Nelson’s  Britanica,  and  Cen- 
tury Cyclopedia  of  Names),  compendiums  of  literature  and  lit- 
erary biography  (Chamber’s  Cyclopedia  of  English  Literature 
— English  and  American,  Cyclopedia  of  American  Literature, 
and  Bryant’s  Library  of  Poetry  and  Song),  atlases  (Ginn’s 
Classical  Atlas  for  ancient  geography  and  modern,  the  Century 
Atlas,  and  the  Imperial  Atlas),  and  classical  dictionaries  (An- 
thon’s  Dictionary  of  Antiquities,  and  Biography  and  Mythol- 
ogy by  Harper  and  Smith).  In  the  second  semester  they  add 
to  their  reference  list.... For  literature  they  add  Brewer’s 
Reader’s  Hand  Book  and  Allibone’s  Dictionary  of  Authors; 
for  biography,  Lippincott’s  Biographical  Dictionary ; for  geog- 
raphy, Lippincott’s  Gazeteer  of  the  World;  for  quotations, 
Bartlett’s  Familiar  Quotations;  and  they  learn  the  value  of 
magazine  indexes — the  Cumulative  Index,  Poole’s  Index,  and 
Reader’s  Guide  to  Periodical  Literature.  This  last  is  most 


12 


particularly  valuable  because  the  swift  march  of  invention  and 
discovery  leaves  many  books  unauthoritative  before  they  are 
published,  and  one  magazine  article  corrects  a previous  one. 
It  is  in  these  things  that  are  changing,  that  are  growing,  that 
adolescence  is  interested ; the  historical  growth  is  not  as  inter- 
esting as  what  is  now  what.  And  yet  this  interest  is  inhibited 
by  the  weariness  of  idly  turning  magazine  leaves  to  find  that 
article  to  which  the  magazine  index  sends  the  boy  straight  as 
an  arrow,  with  the  greatest  possible  conservation  of  energy. 

Definite  information  as  to  the  use  made  of  the  library  has 
been  secured  from  The  High  School  Library,  Jamestown,  New 
York;  The  Boys’  High  School,  Brooklyn,  New  York;  The 
Girls’  High  School,  Brooklyn,  New  York  (Miss  Mary  E. 
Hall)  ; Course  of  instruction  prepared  by  Miss  Jessie  Haines 
for  the  Polytechnic  Preparatory  School,  Brooklyn,  New  York; 
The  West  High  School,  Rochester,  New  York;  Morris  High 
School,  New  York  City;  High  School,  Oak  Park,  Illinois; 
High  School,  Marinette,  Wisconsin;  an  outline  prepared  by 
Miss  Mary  W.  Plummer  for  Pratt  Institute  High  School ; plan 
pursued  by  the  Newark  Public  Library  (compiled  by  Miss 
Marjorie  Gibson)  where  the  head  of  the  school  department 
gives  the  lessons  to  the  English  teachers  of  the  Senior  class, 
who  in  turn  give  the  lessons  to  their  classes ; library  questions 
from  Central  High  School,  Washington,  D.  C. ; High  School 
Branch  of  Passaic  Public  Library  Scheme. 

Some  one  will  say,  “Why  go  to  the  expense  of  having 
regular  librarians?  There  is  no  demand.  Demand  should 
regulate  supply.”  But  you  will  reflect  that  the  law  of  supply 
and  demand  operates  in  the  business  world  in  the  open  mar- 
ket, and  our  pupils  are  in  a sense  at  our  mercy.  Whatever 
may  be  said  about  the  American  child,  he  does  look  to  his 
teacher  for  guidance  and  to  get  for  him  those  facilities  he 
needs.  He  may  not  ask  for  the  library,  but  the  extent  and 
manner  of  his  use  of  it  to  tell  the  story  of  the  unexpressed  de- 
mand. 

A well-known  librarian  tells  the  story  of  two  American 
youths,  drummers  on  their  first  trip.  This  evening  they  stood 
in  the  hotel  lobby  of  Lonesome  Town,  lonesome.  “Let’s  go  to 
the  library,”  said  one.  He  had  gotten  the  library  habit. 
“There’s  no  library  here,”  said  the  other.  “Let’s  go  to  the 


— 13  — 


saloon.”  He  did  not  have  the  library  habit,  but  he  wanted 
companionship.  They  went  to  the  saloon. 

The  report  from  Oklahoma  City  shows  how  the  library 
there  is  appreciated  and  is  particularly  pleasing,  as  the  librarian 
is  very  apologetic  about  conditions  that  to  us  seem  good.  She 
says  her  library  is  “only  a very  small  one  of  3,775  volumes,” 
that  there  is  “room  for  only  70  pupils  in  the  reading  room,  and 
it  is  very  seldom  that  any  seats  are  left  vacant.  Students  oc- 
cupy seats  in  the  window.”  She  goes  on,  “It  has  taken  me 
nearly  the  two  years  to  catalog  the  library,  but  I cannot  help 
but  feel  that  that  is  short  time  with  my  other  library  duties.  . . . 
The  library  is  a great  help  to  the  school,  the  teachers  as  well  as 
the  students,  and  anyone  seeing  how  very  much  it  is  needed 
and  the  great  benefit  derived  from  its  use,  could  not  help  but 
want  to  see  every  school,  no  matter  how  small,  have  its  own 
library.”  This  library  is  open  daily  from  8 :00  A.  M.  to  5 :00 
P.  M.,  except  on  Saturday,  when  it  is  open  from  9:00  A.  M. 
to  4 :00  P.  M. 

The  spirit  of  friendly  co-operation  shown  in  the  letters  is 
the  best  index  that  these  librarians  deserve  a high  mark  in 
“social  efficiency”.  All  the  material  available  is  generously 
offered,  and  we  have  brought  it  to  show  you  the  real  things 
that  are  being  done  by  real  people.  Miss  Mary  E.  Hall,  of  the 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  Girls’  High  School,  writes,  “I  gladly 
send  you  not  only  the  outline  of  what  I am  trying  .to  do  here 
in  our  school,  but  of  courses  in  various  high  schools.”  From 
Duluth  we  hear,  “If  I can  be  of  any  further  assistance,  I shall 
be  glad  if  you  will  let  me  know.” 

Besides  these  personal  letters  with  their  “plans”  for  the 
presentation  of  the  work  actually  carried  on,  there  is  other 
material  available  to  which  we  shall  call  your  attention : ( 1 ) 
material  which  will  assist  you  in  organizing  your  library  and 
giving  library  instruction,  (2)  material  which  will  be  helpful 
in  ordering  for  your  school  library,  (3)  material  which  will 
assist  you  in  the  work  of  advising  pupils  as  to  the  reading  of 
books  which  the  library  cannot  order. 

(1)  Miss  Frances  M.  Hopkins’s  “Outlines  for  instruc- 
tion of  high-school  students  in  use  of  library”  will  be  sent  free 
on  receipt  of  four  cents  for  postage.  Another  article,  “A 
Mental  Tool-box”,  shows  the  use  which  can  be  made  of  Web- 


14 


ster’s  Dictionary.  The  University  of  Washington  Library 
staff  has  edited  “Suggestions  for  the  organization  and  adminis- 
tration of  the  high-school  library”.  The  Duluth  Public  Library 
has  sent  its  apprentice  course.  The  W isconsin  Summer  School 
offers  instruction  in  library  training. 

(2)  Your  Latin  teacher  will  respect  Meader’s  List  of 
books  recommended  for  a high-school  classical  library,  because 
it  has  been  approved  by  Professor  Kelsey.  Your  science 
teachers,  before  ordering,  may  wish  to  consult  the  New  York 
State  Education  Department’s  list  of  science  reference  books 
for  pupils  of  academic  grade.  The  librarian  will  be  interested 
in  the  next  two.  Part  II  of  the  List  of  books  for  school  libra- 
ries prepared  by  the  Oregon  Library  Commission,  is  devoted  to 
books  intended  for  the  high  school.  The  Wisconsin  Education 
Department’s  List  of  books  for  free  high-school  libraries,  was 
prepared  by  Mr.  Henry  E.  Legler,  who  is  now  very  efficiently 
administering  our  Chicago  Public  Library.  It  contains  a list 
of  200  books  “which  should  be  considered  a minimum  list.” 
The  Dewey  class  numbers  and  suggestions  as  to  cards,  title, 
author,  and  subject  analytics,  are  included. 

(3)  There  are  other  lists  of  books  ready  which  will  be 
of  interest  to  your  pupils.  You  can  check  up  your  and  their 
idea  of  what  is  interesting  by  what  has  been  found  of  interest 
elsewhere.  Lists  of  fiction,  travel,  biography,  one  hundred 
best  novels,  etc.,  you  might  expect,  but  you  will  find  more. 
Miss  Mary  E.  West  (Cleveland,  Ohio,  East  High  School)  has 
prepared  an  interesting  list  of  books  and  magazine  articles  per- 
taining to  college  life.  It  contains  college  stories.  Many  a 
boy  has  been  attracted  to  college  by  a college  story,  who  would 
have  held  very  lightly  its  cultural  opportunities.  Mankato, 
Minnesota,  Public  Library  has  listed  “Some  books  that  high- 
school  girls  like”,  “Some  books  that  high-school  boys  like”. 
The  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  City  Library  Association  has 
“A  list  of  books  recommended  by  teachers  in  the  high  school 
for  the  outside  reading  of  high-school  pupils”. 

Much  other  material  keeps  coming  in,  and  no  doubt  much 
valuable  work  is  being  done  which  has  not  been  discovered  by 
our  correspondence,  but  we  have  faithfully  reported  to  you  all 
of  special  value  or  interest  that  months  of  investigation  have 
discovered.  We  have  not  included  in  our  lists  of  material  the 


— is  — 


publications  of  the  American  Library  Association  Publishing 
Board,  78  East  Washington  Street,  Chicago,  but  we  have  tried 
to  call  to  your  attention  valuable  material  you  would  be  less 
likely  to  find. 

If  you  will  stop  to  think  of  your  own  personal  experience, 
you  will  remember  that  the  time  when  you  came  to  call  on 
books  familiarly  for  help,  when  you  knew  that  there  was  the 
place  to  look  for  exact  facts,  that  this  time  was  when  the  re- 
sources of  a well-equipped  library  were  thrown  open  to  you, 
when  you  went  to  college,  no  doubt,  unless  you  had  the  rare 
fortune  of  attending  a high  school  well-equipped  with  books, 
or  the  rarer  fortune  of  finding  them  in  your  father’s  house. 
The  Detroit  Central  High  School  Library  begins  its  question 
sheets  with  this  quotation  from  E.  E.  Hale,  “The  difference 
between  an  educated  person  and  one  not  educated,  is  that  the 
first  knows  how  to  find  what  he  wants  and  the  other  does  ‘not.” 
Since  we  no  longer  consider  the  high  school  merely  preparatory 
for  the  college,  but  an  institution  which  gives  a well-rounded 
preparation  for  life,  let  us  not  deny  to  high-school  pupils  this 
power  to  find  what  they  want. 

The  library  movement  in  the  high  schools  is  well  on. 
From  East,  from  West,  progress  is  coming.  The  teachers  and 
librarians  throughout  the  country  are  glad  to  know  that  the 
teacher-librarians  of  Chicago  are  up  and  would  be  doing.  The 
action  of  the  city  second  in  population  and  first  in  initiative, 
must  be  significant.  They  are  looking  to  us,  and,  knowing  our 
motto,  they  are  saying  to  us,  “Will  you,  Chicago  ?” 

Johanna  V.  Ryan. 

Lane  Technical  High  School. 

Formerly  Librarian  for  Social  Science  Group,  The  University  of 
Chicago. 


